By Alabama Public Radio
Florence AL – A federal grant will help establish a new tourist attraction in the Shoals-area geared toward luring music fans. The 48-thousand dollar grant will be used to develop interpretive materials for the Roots of American Music Trail that will pass through northwest Alabama. In Alabama, the Trail will focus on the wealth of music and history in the Muscle Shoals area. The Shoals has been the home of some of the most significant figures in American popular music. including W.C. Handy and Sam Phillips.
It was also a popular recording spot for some of the top entertainers in the 1960s and '70s, including the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan.
The Roots of American Music Trail is a 33-mile portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway from the Alabama-Tennessee state line to the Alabama-Mississippi state line.